


the world could end

by thethrillof



Category: The Batman (Cartoon)
Genre: Arkham Asylum, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-25
Updated: 2018-03-25
Packaged: 2019-04-08 02:54:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14095557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thethrillof/pseuds/thethrillof
Summary: and nobody would know.A tiny moment at the edge of the apocalypse.





	the world could end

 

Once, someone announced to the air about Arkham Asylum: _The world could end out there and nobody'd know. Not until you made it out._

Langstrom doesn’t remember who. Not as if he'd cared; besides, it was a long time ago, before the staff decided he couldn’t deal with being in the rec room with the rest and gave him "breaks" in a room with four bare walls to scrawl over instead. 

He wonders if that person is locked up now. He wonders if they remember what they said, and if they regret their words.

The wardens are long gone, took flight, and when he looks out the door he sees rows of desperate hands waving out of their cells and the bounding form of Joker far down the hall, ignoring them all. Not unexpected, but still a sight even less joyful than his echoing laugh.

The floor is shaking. Langstrom doesn't need his Man-Bat-enhanced hearing to catch the screams and walls crumbling and the metallic _noise_  the things outside and inside and _everywhere_ are making--

He sinks to the floor in the corner of his cell and covers his ears. "Stop, stop, _stop_ ," he chants, throat closing around the words.

It’s too small, the cell’s too small,  _Arkham’s_  too small. He can feel his wings and teeth and ears burning but they stay as they are. He can’t get out, he’s too weak like this, and he isn’t the only one. There are howls of furious terror and nasty _thuds_ as some of the inmates tackle the doors, but that’s not enough.

The world’s ending and everyone knows, and they’re not going to make it out.


End file.
